Electric connectors for automatically stripping electric wires currently form a part of numerous connector units, and in particular of numerous kinds of connector block. They have the advantage of enabling rapid, simple and reliable connection to insulated wire compared to the connection previously provided by earlier means such as nut and bolt connections.
Connectors are intended to provide electric connection either between a pair of wires or between a single wire and some kind of electric equipment; thus a wire stripping connector includes at least one insulation displacement connector and at least one other connector part adapted to some specific need to be satisfied. The other connector part may be a second insulation displacement connector, or else it may be some other kind of connector.
Now, in numerous connectors, the user wishes to have access to the electric connections set up by means of the connector in order, for example, to form jumper connections or distribution systems or to be able to temporarily disconnect the connection or even to be able to perform continuity tests.
These kinds of operation can sometimes be carried out at various points of an installation but it is often very practical to be able to carry them out on the connectors which are generally more accessible than the rest of the equipment. Further, said connectors are usually grouped together at locations suitable for facilitating modifications, taking out of service, etc.
Specialized additional connector means are therefore provided on the wire-stripping connectors mentioned hereinabove so as to satisfy specific needs. However, it is clear that it is not possible to at manufacture at reasonable expense all the possible combinations of connection parts which include some kind of automatic wire stripper part together with another connector part.
The present invention therefore aims to produce a versatile electric connector which enables various kinds of connection to be made and in particular connections to parts oriented in different directions, but all by means of the same type of connector part.